Columbine changed everything. During a seminar for school administrators today at Crews Lake Middle School, Pasco County Sheriff's Lt. Brian Prescott emphasized how everything from law-enforcement response to the ways schools handle crisis situations was altered by the 1999 massacre in Littleton, Colo. The presentation was attended by about 20 administrators from around the school district. "We used to set up a perimeter" if there was a shooter inside a school, said Prescott, who supervises the school district's school resource officers for the sheriff's office. "Now, it's entirely different. If there's a shooter in here, we'll be coming in, charging in." ...more

March 24, 2009

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is making several changes in how it runs its jail system, including the creation of crisis intervention teams, additional training in handling inmate grievances and clarifying use of force procedures for detention and patrol deputies. ...more

November 18, 2008

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is making several changes in how it runs its jail system, including the creation of crisis intervention teams, additional training in handling inmate grievances and clarifying use of force procedures for detention and patrol deputies. ...more

November 17, 2008

Along with normal first-day jitters and excitement, students in this tiny district started school Monday wondering which teachers might be toting firearms. ...more

August 26, 2008